Americans and business leaders must unite by holding elected officials accountable for putting party loyalty above national interests, the writers say.
At 249 years old, the United States is the world’s oldest modern democracy and, until now, its most resilient.
In the Federalist Papers, James Madison wrote: “It is the reason, alone, of the public, that ought to control and regulate the government. The passions ought to be controlled and regulated by the government.”
Madison and the other founders understood the risk that partisan extremism presented by playing on people’s emotions in their quest to monopolize power.
To minimize this risk, the founders designed the system with three coequal branches of government, checks and balances, and the distribution of power among federal, state and local governments.
Stress-tested many times in our history, this design has held up well. Though 43% of Americans are registered as “independent,” reason and common sense have been given a back seat to emotionally driven partisan extremism.
Through “divide and conquer” tactics, power is now being concentrated and wielded in ways that threaten individual freedom and the common good in important policy areas where they should prevail – as in energy policy.
With the demand for electricity rising, we need to increase supply and modernize our electric grid to maintain reliability and affordability.
To enhance our energy security and independence, we should generate as much electricity as possible domestically with energy sources that are least susceptible to geopolitical and supply chain disruption. Isn’t that just common sense?
Unfortunately, partisan extremism is now threatening to reverse the economic growth and progress that we were already making toward creating energy independence.
Since taking office, the Trump administration and its followers at the federal and state levels have been dismantling energy policies that were already benefiting all Americans and New Jersey residents.
According to American Clean Power’s 2024 Annual Energy Market Report, “American clean power saw nearly $80 billion in investment and supported 1.4 million jobs in 2024.”
American Clean Power’s report underscores that “clean power accounted for 93% of all new electricity capacity added to the grid last year.”
Yale Climate Connections said U.S. Department of Energy records reveal that nearly three-quarters of clean energy investments under the Inflation Reduction Act – $217 billion of clean energy investments, or $1,091 per person – were slated for states that voted for President Donald Trump.
In addition, $79 billion, or $559, per person, were earmarked for blue states. About two-thirds of those investment dollars were from private companies – companies that were building new factories or investing in clean energy infrastructure, weatherizing facilities, or focused on training and workforce development, for example. Department of Energy data shows that nearly 1,000 new or expanded energy manufacturing plants and 210,000 new jobs have been announced since the IRA went into effect in 2022.
In a dramatic and partisan U-turn, however, the Trump administration has called for an increased reliance on oil, which would weaken our national security. Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine and the escalating conflict in the Middle East clearly show how an overreliance on oil weakens our economic and energy security. Iran may be able to block the flow of oil and gas exports through the Strait of Hormuz, but no foreign adversary would ever be able to prevent us from converting solar and wind into electrons to power our grid.
We must urge legislators to back sensible governance
July Fourth was the deadline set for the House to vote on H.R. 1, Trump’s budget reconciliation bill, and it complied.
This legislation proposed devastating cuts to clean energy, climate investments, worker protections, water infrastructure and agricultural programs.
From a business perspective, these reductions strike at the very foundation of a just and regenerative economy that many enterprises are working to build.
According to the American Sustainable Business Network, H.R. 1 will eliminate $336 billion in clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction
Act.
Those credits have already driven more than $500 billion in private investment and supported 400,000 clean energy jobs. Without them, the solar industry alone could lose 330,000 jobs by 2028. Ending these incentives prematurely would raise household electricity costs by 7% to 10% and industrial rates by 7% to 12% by 2035, erasing up to $38 billion in savings for American families through 2030.
The first quarter of 2025 saw over $6.9 billion in project cancellations and delays, a stark reminder that policy uncertainty sends capital overseas and undermines U.S. leadership in the global clean energy supply chain.
H.R. 1 is not about fiscal responsibility; it is fiscally reckless. It shifts substantial costs to businesses, state and local governments, and future generations.
This is a pivotal moment in which all Americans and business leaders must unite by holding elected officials accountable for putting party loyalty above national interests. As we continue to mark the anniversary of American independence, now is the time to contact lawmakers to urge them to restore the IRA’s clean energy tax credits and champion commonsense policies that support innovation, economic resilience and energy independence for the common good.
Richard Lawton is the outgoing executive director of the New Jersey Sustainable Business Council, a coalition of companies working to advance policy and market solutions for a more just and sustainable economy. Rebecca C. Lubot, PhD, MSc , is CEO and founder of Lubot Strategies and a visiting associate at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. She is the incoming executive director of the New Jersey Sustainable Business Council.
NJSBN is a state affiliate of the American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN).
“Our affiliation with ASBN enhances NJSBN’s credibility with New Jersey policymakers, business leaders, and members of the media. The ongoing ability to engage with ASBN and its network helps us to better serve our members as we work together to influence positive systemic change at the state level.”
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